Chapter XIV · Chapter 14

used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one

From this reading I remembered, when on board the _Bussorah Merchant_, seeing some tropic birds, which, like the frigate-bird, can ascend to a vast height.

plural of “account” — a record or narrative description of past events

From this reading On seeing this wonderful bird I could easily believe the accounts my uncle gave me.

anew

From this reading It caught one, and again ascended in the most graceful way towards the blue heavens, to enjoy its repast.

a mixture of gases (especially oxygen) required for breathing; the stuff that the wind consists of

From this reading One appeared out of the blue sky, when, descending suddenly towards the ship like a falling star, it checked its course, and hovering for a while over our masts, darted away with its two long projecting tail-feathers streaming in the air towards a shoal of flying-fish, which had just then risen from the water.

used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together

From this reading One appeared out of the blue sky, when, descending suddenly towards the ship like a falling star, it checked its course, and hovering for a while over our masts, darted away with its two long projecting tail-feathers streaming in the air towards a shoal of flying-fish, which had just then risen from the water.

past form of “appear” — give a certain impression or have a certain outward aspect

From this reading One appeared out of the blue sky, when, descending suddenly towards the ship like a falling star, it checked its course, and hovering for a while over our masts, darted away with its two long projecting tail-feathers streaming in the air towards a shoal of flying-fish, which had just then risen from the water.

at the same time that; because; in the way that

From this reading The Chinese, my uncle told me, train the common cormorant to fish for them, the birds being taught to return with their prey to the boat in which their master sits, when they receive a small fish as their reward.

travel up

From this reading I remembered, when on board the _Bussorah Merchant_, seeing some tropic birds, which, like the frigate-bird, can ascend to a vast height.

past form of “ascend” — travel up

From this reading It caught one, and again ascended in the most graceful way towards the blue heavens, to enjoy its repast.

from a particular thing or place or position (“forth” is obsolete)

From this reading One appeared out of the blue sky, when, descending suddenly towards the ship like a falling star, it checked its course, and hovering for a while over our masts, darted away with its two long projecting tail-feathers streaming in the air towards a shoal of flying-fish, which had just then risen from the water.

the -ing form of “be”

From this reading The Chinese, my uncle told me, train the common cormorant to fish for them, the birds being taught to return with their prey to the boat in which their master sits, when they receive a small fish as their reward.

accept as true; take to be true

From this reading On seeing this wonderful bird I could easily believe the accounts my uncle gave me.

warm-blooded egg-laying vertebrates characterized by feathers and forelimbs modified as wings

From this reading On seeing this wonderful bird I could easily believe the accounts my uncle gave me.

plural of “bird” — warm-blooded egg-laying vertebrates characterized by feathers and forelimbs modified as wings

From this reading I remembered, when on board the _Bussorah Merchant_, seeing some tropic birds, which, like the frigate-bird, can ascend to a vast height.

of the color intermediate between green and violet; having a color similar to that of a clear unclouded sky

From this reading One appeared out of the blue sky, when, descending suddenly towards the ship like a falling star, it checked its course, and hovering for a while over our masts, darted away with its two long projecting tail-feathers streaming in the air towards a shoal of flying-fish, which had just then risen from the water.

a committee having supervisory powers

From this reading I remembered, when on board the _Bussorah Merchant_, seeing some tropic birds, which, like the frigate-bird, can ascend to a vast height.

a small vessel for travel on water

From this reading The Chinese, my uncle told me, train the common cormorant to fish for them, the birds being taught to return with their prey to the boat in which their master sits, when they receive a small fish as their reward.

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading I remembered, when on board the _Bussorah Merchant_, seeing some tropic birds, which, like the frigate-bird, can ascend to a vast height.

to be able to, or to be allowed to

From this reading I remembered, when on board the _Bussorah Merchant_, seeing some tropic birds, which, like the frigate-bird, can ascend to a vast height.

inflected form of “catch” — discover or come upon accidentally, suddenly, or unexpectedly; catch somebody doing something or in a certain state

From this reading It caught one, and again ascended in the most graceful way towards the blue heavens, to enjoy its repast.

patterned with alternating squares of color

From this reading One appeared out of the blue sky, when, descending suddenly towards the ship like a falling star, it checked its course, and hovering for a while over our masts, darted away with its two long projecting tail-feathers streaming in the air towards a shoal of flying-fish, which had just then risen from the water.

any of the Sino-Tibetan languages spoken in China; regarded as dialects of a single language (even though they are mutually unintelligible) because they share an ideographic writing system

From this reading The Chinese, my uncle told me, train the common cormorant to fish for them, the birds being taught to return with their prey to the boat in which their master sits, when they receive a small fish as their reward.

belonging to or participated in by a community as a whole; public

From this reading The Chinese, my uncle told me, train the common cormorant to fish for them, the birds being taught to return with their prey to the boat in which their master sits, when they receive a small fish as their reward.

large voracious dark-colored long-necked seabird with a distensible pouch for holding fish; used in Asia to catch fish

From this reading The Chinese, my uncle told me, train the common cormorant to fish for them, the birds being taught to return with their prey to the boat in which their master sits, when they receive a small fish as their reward.

the past of “can”; used for possibility or polite requests

From this reading On seeing this wonderful bird I could easily believe the accounts my uncle gave me.

education imparted in a series of lessons or meetings

From this reading One appeared out of the blue sky, when, descending suddenly towards the ship like a falling star, it checked its course, and hovering for a while over our masts, darted away with its two long projecting tail-feathers streaming in the air towards a shoal of flying-fish, which had just then risen from the water.

past form of “dart” — move along rapidly and lightly; skim or dart

From this reading One appeared out of the blue sky, when, descending suddenly towards the ship like a falling star, it checked its course, and hovering for a while over our masts, darted away with its two long projecting tail-feathers streaming in the air towards a shoal of flying-fish, which had just then risen from the water.

coming down or downward

From this reading One appeared out of the blue sky, when, descending suddenly towards the ship like a falling star, it checked its course, and hovering for a while over our masts, darted away with its two long projecting tail-feathers streaming in the air towards a shoal of flying-fish, which had just then risen from the water.

with ease (“easy” is sometimes used informally for “easily”)

From this reading On seeing this wonderful bird I could easily believe the accounts my uncle gave me.

derive or receive pleasure from; get enjoyment from; take pleasure in

From this reading It caught one, and again ascended in the most graceful way towards the blue heavens, to enjoy its repast.

decreasing in amount or degree

From this reading One appeared out of the blue sky, when, descending suddenly towards the ship like a falling star, it checked its course, and hovering for a while over our masts, darted away with its two long projecting tail-feathers streaming in the air towards a shoal of flying-fish, which had just then risen from the water.

any of various mostly cold-blooded aquatic vertebrates usually having scales and breathing through gills

From this reading The Chinese, my uncle told me, train the common cormorant to fish for them, the birds being taught to return with their prey to the boat in which their master sits, when they receive a small fish as their reward.

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading One appeared out of the blue sky, when, descending suddenly towards the ship like a falling star, it checked its course, and hovering for a while over our masts, darted away with its two long projecting tail-feathers streaming in the air towards a shoal of flying-fish, which had just then risen from the water.

intended to be given to, or used by, somebody

From this reading One appeared out of the blue sky, when, descending suddenly towards the ship like a falling star, it checked its course, and hovering for a while over our masts, darted away with its two long projecting tail-feathers streaming in the air towards a shoal of flying-fish, which had just then risen from the water.

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading I remembered, when on board the _Bussorah Merchant_, seeing some tropic birds, which, like the frigate-bird, can ascend to a vast height.

showing where something starts, or who sent it

From this reading One appeared out of the blue sky, when, descending suddenly towards the ship like a falling star, it checked its course, and hovering for a while over our masts, darted away with its two long projecting tail-feathers streaming in the air towards a shoal of flying-fish, which had just then risen from the water.

inflected form of “give” — cause to have, in the abstract sense or physical sense

From this reading On seeing this wonderful bird I could easily believe the accounts my uncle gave me.

characterized by beauty of movement, style, form, or execution

From this reading It caught one, and again ascended in the most graceful way towards the blue heavens, to enjoy its repast.

the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect

From this reading One appeared out of the blue sky, when, descending suddenly towards the ship like a falling star, it checked its course, and hovering for a while over our masts, darted away with its two long projecting tail-feathers streaming in the air towards a shoal of flying-fish, which had just then risen from the water.

the apparent surface of the imaginary sphere on which celestial bodies appear to be projected

From this reading It caught one, and again ascended in the most graceful way towards the blue heavens, to enjoy its repast.

the vertical dimension of extension; distance from the base of something to the top

From this reading I remembered, when on board the _Bussorah Merchant_, seeing some tropic birds, which, like the frigate-bird, can ascend to a vast height.

-ing form of “hover” — be undecided about something; waver between conflicting positions or courses of action

From this reading One appeared out of the blue sky, when, descending suddenly towards the ship like a falling star, it checked its course, and hovering for a while over our masts, darted away with its two long projecting tail-feathers streaming in the air towards a shoal of flying-fish, which had just then risen from the water.

the person speaking or writing, as the subject of the verb

From this reading On seeing this wonderful bird I could easily believe the accounts my uncle gave me.

inside something, or within a place, period, or state

From this reading One appeared out of the blue sky, when, descending suddenly towards the ship like a falling star, it checked its course, and hovering for a while over our masts, darted away with its two long projecting tail-feathers streaming in the air towards a shoal of flying-fish, which had just then risen from the water.

a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned

From this reading One appeared out of the blue sky, when, descending suddenly towards the ship like a falling star, it checked its course, and hovering for a while over our masts, darted away with its two long projecting tail-feathers streaming in the air towards a shoal of flying-fish, which had just then risen from the water.

belonging to the thing or animal already mentioned

From this reading One appeared out of the blue sky, when, descending suddenly towards the ship like a falling star, it checked its course, and hovering for a while over our masts, darted away with its two long projecting tail-feathers streaming in the air towards a shoal of flying-fish, which had just then risen from the water.

and nothing more

From this reading One appeared out of the blue sky, when, descending suddenly towards the ship like a falling star, it checked its course, and hovering for a while over our masts, darted away with its two long projecting tail-feathers streaming in the air towards a shoal of flying-fish, which had just then risen from the water.

prefer or wish to do something

From this reading I remembered, when on board the _Bussorah Merchant_, seeing some tropic birds, which, like the frigate-bird, can ascend to a vast height.

primarily temporal sense; being or indicating a relatively great or greater than average duration or passage of time or a duration as specified

From this reading One appeared out of the blue sky, when, descending suddenly towards the ship like a falling star, it checked its course, and hovering for a while over our masts, darted away with its two long projecting tail-feathers streaming in the air towards a shoal of flying-fish, which had just then risen from the water.

an artist of consummate skill

From this reading The Chinese, my uncle told me, train the common cormorant to fish for them, the birds being taught to return with their prey to the boat in which their master sits, when they receive a small fish as their reward.

plural of “mast” — a vertical spar for supporting sails

From this reading One appeared out of the blue sky, when, descending suddenly towards the ship like a falling star, it checked its course, and hovering for a while over our masts, darted away with its two long projecting tail-feathers streaming in the air towards a shoal of flying-fish, which had just then risen from the water.

the person speaking, as the object of a verb or preposition

From this reading On seeing this wonderful bird I could easily believe the accounts my uncle gave me.

A person or company involved in wholesale trade, especially with foreign countries.

From this reading I remembered, when on board the _Bussorah Merchant_, seeing some tropic birds, which, like the frigate-bird, can ascend to a vast height.

used to form the superlative

From this reading It caught one, and again ascended in the most graceful way towards the blue heavens, to enjoy its repast.

belonging to the person speaking

From this reading On seeing this wonderful bird I could easily believe the accounts my uncle gave me.

belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something

From this reading One appeared out of the blue sky, when, descending suddenly towards the ship like a falling star, it checked its course, and hovering for a while over our masts, darted away with its two long projecting tail-feathers streaming in the air towards a shoal of flying-fish, which had just then risen from the water.

touching and supported by a surface

From this reading On seeing this wonderful bird I could easily believe the accounts my uncle gave me.

used to mean any person in general, including the speaker

From this reading One appeared out of the blue sky, when, descending suddenly towards the ship like a falling star, it checked its course, and hovering for a while over our masts, darted away with its two long projecting tail-feathers streaming in the air towards a shoal of flying-fish, which had just then risen from the water.

belonging to the speaker and others

From this reading One appeared out of the blue sky, when, descending suddenly towards the ship like a falling star, it checked its course, and hovering for a while over our masts, darted away with its two long projecting tail-feathers streaming in the air towards a shoal of flying-fish, which had just then risen from the water.

not allowed to continue to bat or run

From this reading One appeared out of the blue sky, when, descending suddenly towards the ship like a falling star, it checked its course, and hovering for a while over our masts, darted away with its two long projecting tail-feathers streaming in the air towards a shoal of flying-fish, which had just then risen from the water.

above and across; more than

From this reading One appeared out of the blue sky, when, descending suddenly towards the ship like a falling star, it checked its course, and hovering for a while over our masts, darted away with its two long projecting tail-feathers streaming in the air towards a shoal of flying-fish, which had just then risen from the water.

a person who is the aim of an attack (especially a victim of ridicule or exploitation) by some hostile person or influence

From this reading The Chinese, my uncle told me, train the common cormorant to fish for them, the birds being taught to return with their prey to the boat in which their master sits, when they receive a small fish as their reward.

extending out above or beyond a surface or boundary

From this reading One appeared out of the blue sky, when, descending suddenly towards the ship like a falling star, it checked its course, and hovering for a while over our masts, darted away with its two long projecting tail-feathers streaming in the air towards a shoal of flying-fish, which had just then risen from the water.

get something; come into possession of

From this reading The Chinese, my uncle told me, train the common cormorant to fish for them, the birds being taught to return with their prey to the boat in which their master sits, when they receive a small fish as their reward.

past form of “remember” — recall knowledge from memory; have a recollection

From this reading I remembered, when on board the _Bussorah Merchant_, seeing some tropic birds, which, like the frigate-bird, can ascend to a vast height.

the food served and eaten at one time

From this reading It caught one, and again ascended in the most graceful way towards the blue heavens, to enjoy its repast.

go or come back to place, condition, or activity where one has been before

From this reading The Chinese, my uncle told me, train the common cormorant to fish for them, the birds being taught to return with their prey to the boat in which their master sits, when they receive a small fish as their reward.

a recompense for worthy acts or retribution for wrongdoing

From this reading The Chinese, my uncle told me, train the common cormorant to fish for them, the birds being taught to return with their prey to the boat in which their master sits, when they receive a small fish as their reward.

(of e.g. celestial bodies) above the horizon

From this reading One appeared out of the blue sky, when, descending suddenly towards the ship like a falling star, it checked its course, and hovering for a while over our masts, darted away with its two long projecting tail-feathers streaming in the air towards a shoal of flying-fish, which had just then risen from the water.

perception by means of the eyes

From this reading On seeing this wonderful bird I could easily believe the accounts my uncle gave me.

transport commercially

From this reading One appeared out of the blue sky, when, descending suddenly towards the ship like a falling star, it checked its course, and hovering for a while over our masts, darted away with its two long projecting tail-feathers streaming in the air towards a shoal of flying-fish, which had just then risen from the water.

a sandbank in a stretch of water that is visible at low tide

From this reading One appeared out of the blue sky, when, descending suddenly towards the ship like a falling star, it checked its course, and hovering for a while over our masts, darted away with its two long projecting tail-feathers streaming in the air towards a shoal of flying-fish, which had just then risen from the water.

third-person singular of “sit” — be seated

From this reading The Chinese, my uncle told me, train the common cormorant to fish for them, the birds being taught to return with their prey to the boat in which their master sits, when they receive a small fish as their reward.

the atmosphere and outer space as viewed from the earth

From this reading One appeared out of the blue sky, when, descending suddenly towards the ship like a falling star, it checked its course, and hovering for a while over our masts, darted away with its two long projecting tail-feathers streaming in the air towards a shoal of flying-fish, which had just then risen from the water.

limited or below average in number or quantity or magnitude or extent

From this reading The Chinese, my uncle told me, train the common cormorant to fish for them, the birds being taught to return with their prey to the boat in which their master sits, when they receive a small fish as their reward.

(quantifier) used with either mass nouns or plural count nouns to indicate an unspecified number or quantity

From this reading I remembered, when on board the _Bussorah Merchant_, seeing some tropic birds, which, like the frigate-bird, can ascend to a vast height.

(astronomy) a celestial body of hot gases that radiates energy derived from thermonuclear reactions in the interior

From this reading One appeared out of the blue sky, when, descending suddenly towards the ship like a falling star, it checked its course, and hovering for a while over our masts, darted away with its two long projecting tail-feathers streaming in the air towards a shoal of flying-fish, which had just then risen from the water.

exuding a bodily fluid in profuse amounts

From this reading One appeared out of the blue sky, when, descending suddenly towards the ship like a falling star, it checked its course, and hovering for a while over our masts, darted away with its two long projecting tail-feathers streaming in the air towards a shoal of flying-fish, which had just then risen from the water.

happening unexpectedly

From this reading One appeared out of the blue sky, when, descending suddenly towards the ship like a falling star, it checked its course, and hovering for a while over our masts, darted away with its two long projecting tail-feathers streaming in the air towards a shoal of flying-fish, which had just then risen from the water.

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading One appeared out of the blue sky, when, descending suddenly towards the ship like a falling star, it checked its course, and hovering for a while over our masts, darted away with its two long projecting tail-feathers streaming in the air towards a shoal of flying-fish, which had just then risen from the water.

inflected form of “teach” — impart skills or knowledge to

From this reading The Chinese, my uncle told me, train the common cormorant to fish for them, the birds being taught to return with their prey to the boat in which their master sits, when they receive a small fish as their reward.

used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind

From this reading On seeing this wonderful bird I could easily believe the accounts my uncle gave me.

belonging to the people or things already mentioned

From this reading The Chinese, my uncle told me, train the common cormorant to fish for them, the birds being taught to return with their prey to the boat in which their master sits, when they receive a small fish as their reward.

the people or things already mentioned, as the object

From this reading The Chinese, my uncle told me, train the common cormorant to fish for them, the birds being taught to return with their prey to the boat in which their master sits, when they receive a small fish as their reward.

subsequently or soon afterward (often used as sentence connectors)

From this reading One appeared out of the blue sky, when, descending suddenly towards the ship like a falling star, it checked its course, and hovering for a while over our masts, darted away with its two long projecting tail-feathers streaming in the air towards a shoal of flying-fish, which had just then risen from the water.

the people, animals, or things already mentioned, as the subject

From this reading The Chinese, my uncle told me, train the common cormorant to fish for them, the birds being taught to return with their prey to the boat in which their master sits, when they receive a small fish as their reward.

used for a person or thing that is near, or that has just been mentioned

From this reading On seeing this wonderful bird I could easily believe the accounts my uncle gave me.

used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive

From this reading I remembered, when on board the _Bussorah Merchant_, seeing some tropic birds, which, like the frigate-bird, can ascend to a vast height.

inflected form of “tell” — express in words

From this reading The Chinese, my uncle told me, train the common cormorant to fish for them, the birds being taught to return with their prey to the boat in which their master sits, when they receive a small fish as their reward.

in the direction of

From this reading One appeared out of the blue sky, when, descending suddenly towards the ship like a falling star, it checked its course, and hovering for a while over our masts, darted away with its two long projecting tail-feathers streaming in the air towards a shoal of flying-fish, which had just then risen from the water.

create by training and teaching

From this reading The Chinese, my uncle told me, train the common cormorant to fish for them, the birds being taught to return with their prey to the boat in which their master sits, when they receive a small fish as their reward.

relating to or situated in or characteristic of the tropics (the region on either side of the equator)

From this reading I remembered, when on board the _Bussorah Merchant_, seeing some tropic birds, which, like the frigate-bird, can ascend to a vast height.

the cardinal number that is the sum of one and one or a numeral representing this number

From this reading One appeared out of the blue sky, when, descending suddenly towards the ship like a falling star, it checked its course, and hovering for a while over our masts, darted away with its two long projecting tail-feathers streaming in the air towards a shoal of flying-fish, which had just then risen from the water.

the brother of your father or mother; the husband of your aunt

From this reading On seeing this wonderful bird I could easily believe the accounts my uncle gave me.

unusually great in size or amount or degree or especially extent or scope

From this reading I remembered, when on board the _Bussorah Merchant_, seeing some tropic birds, which, like the frigate-bird, can ascend to a vast height.

binary compound that occurs at room temperature as a clear colorless odorless tasteless liquid; freezes into ice below 0 degrees centigrade and boils above 100 degrees centigrade; widely used as a solvent

From this reading One appeared out of the blue sky, when, descending suddenly towards the ship like a falling star, it checked its course, and hovering for a while over our masts, darted away with its two long projecting tail-feathers streaming in the air towards a shoal of flying-fish, which had just then risen from the water.

how something is done or how it happens

From this reading It caught one, and again ascended in the most graceful way towards the blue heavens, to enjoy its repast.

at the time that

From this reading I remembered, when on board the _Bussorah Merchant_, seeing some tropic birds, which, like the frigate-bird, can ascend to a vast height.

used to introduce a clause giving more about a thing just mentioned

From this reading I remembered, when on board the _Bussorah Merchant_, seeing some tropic birds, which, like the frigate-bird, can ascend to a vast height.

during the time that

From this reading One appeared out of the blue sky, when, descending suddenly towards the ship like a falling star, it checked its course, and hovering for a while over our masts, darted away with its two long projecting tail-feathers streaming in the air towards a shoal of flying-fish, which had just then risen from the water.

in the company of; together with

From this reading One appeared out of the blue sky, when, descending suddenly towards the ship like a falling star, it checked its course, and hovering for a while over our masts, darted away with its two long projecting tail-feathers streaming in the air towards a shoal of flying-fish, which had just then risen from the water.

extraordinarily good or great; used especially as intensifiers

From this reading On seeing this wonderful bird I could easily believe the accounts my uncle gave me.